Means for automatically controlling car motors and brakes.



No. 696,752. Patented Apr. I, I902. JHH. ROBERTSON;

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING CAR MOTORS AND BRAKES.

(Application filed July 25, 1899.)

m Nodal.)

UNTTED STATES JOHN H. ROBERTSON,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING CAR MOTORS AND BRAKES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,752, dated April 1, 1902. Application filed July 25, 1899. Scrialll'o. 725,032. (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN H. ROBERTSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Means for Automatically Controlling Oar Motors and Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in means for automatically controlling car motors and brakes, and is intended for use in connection with street-railway cars which use electricity as a motive power and compressed air as a brake.

The object of my invention is to provide means for automatically shutting off the electrical current and feeding compressed air to the brake when for any cause the motorman of the car leaves the car-platform.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a top plan view of a portion of a car with my improved controlling mechanism applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view; and Fig. i is an enlarged top plan view of the controlling mechanism, the parts being shown in full lines in the positions which they assume when the auxiliary platform is depressed by the motorman standing thereon and in dotted lines the positions which they assume when the auxiliary platform is raised,as when the motorman steps off therefrom.

The car-platform is denoted by A, the dashboard by B, and the electrical uiotorboX, which is mounted at the rear of the dashboard at one side of the platform, by O.

The motor-handle is denoted by c, and its stem 0 projects through the bottom of the motor-box and the platform to a point a short distance below the platform, where the said stem is provided with a pinion c fixed to rotate therewith.

The compressed-air-brake-control handle is denoted by D, which handle is arranged to open and close communication through the pipe E, which leads from the compressed-air tank, (not shown,) and the pipe F, which leads to the brakecylinder. (Also not shown.)

This brake-control handle is of the usual construction and will therefore not be more specifically described herein.

A cylinder G is secured beneath the platform A in proximity to the lower end of the stem 0' of the electric-control handle 0. A piston-head g is fitted to the interior of the cylinder G, the said piston-head being provided with a stem g, having a rack 9 which leads through the outer end of the cylinder. This rack is fitted to engage the pinion c 011 the motor handle-stem and rotate the same as the piston-head is forced outwardly, the said rack being normally out of engagement with the said pinion when the piston-head is at the limit of its inward movement within the cylinder. The piston-head is yieldingly held at the limit of its inward movement and is also automatically returned to the limit of its inward movement when pressure is removed from the face of the head by means of a retracting-spring 9 which spring in the present instance is located within the cylinder G. A suitable guide g" is provided for the outer end of the rack g of the piston-rod, which guide depends from the car-platform A at a point adjacent to the motor electriccontrol handle-stem.

A pipe H leads from the pipe E from a point between the compressed-air tank and the brake-control handle to the interior of the cylinder G. An auxiliary pipe I leads from the pipe II at a point adjacent to the cylinder G to the pipe in, which leadsto the brake-cylinder at a point between the brakecylinder and the brake-control handle D. A rotary valve 7L is located in the pipe H between the pipe E and the junctions of the pipes H and I. A rotary valve f is located in the pipe F at a point between the brakeoontrol handle D and the junctions of the pipes F and I. These valves h and f are positively connected together so that when one of the valves is open the other of the valves is closed, the connection in the prescut instance comprising an arm h, leading from the valve-stem of the valve h, an arm f, leading from the valve-stem of the valve f, and a connecting-rod J, connecting the free ends of the arms 1, and f.

ICO

An auxiliary platform A is hinged along its forward edge upon the platform A at the rear of the dashboard, the said auxiliary platform being yieldingly held at the limit of its upward movement by means of one or more springs a. In the present instance two are shown,which are interposed between the platform A and the auxiliary platform A. The swinging movement of the auxiliary platform A is imparted to the valve h, and thereby to the valve f, for opening the valve h and closing the valve f when the auxiliary platform is in its raisedposition and opening the valve f and closing the valve h when the auxiliary platform is in its lowered position by the following means: An arm K is fixed to rock with the auxiliary platform A and depends from its hinged end, the free end of theswinging arm K being connected by a rod is with the free end of an arm h fixed to the stem of the valve h. Theanxiliary platform A may be fastened in its lowered position by any suitable device a. when it is not required for use-as, for instance, when the platform at the other end of the car is being used by the motorman.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The motorman when standing in position to operate the car rests his weight at all times upon the auxiliary platform A, thus retaining the, platform at the limit of its downward movement. When the platform is 'in this position, the valve h will be closed and the valve f will be opened, thus permitting the motorman to apply the brake by the usual brakec'ontrol handle D and also permitting him to swing the electric-control handle a to supply more or less electricity to the motor. If the weight'of the motorman should be released from the auxiliary platform for any reason as, for instance, by the inotorman being thrown from the platform or by stepping from the platform, or by reason of some accidenttheauxiliary platform will be automatically raised by the springs a. This movement will serve to automatically open the valve h and close the valve f. The compressed air from the tank will thus be permitted to pass through the pipesH and I'into the pipe F and from thence to the brake-cylinder to antomatically apply the brake, and also through the pipe H into the cylinder G, thus forcing the piston outwardly and causing the rack g to engage the pinion c and rotate thestem of the electric-current-control handle, serving to return the handle to a position to cut off the current.

What I claim is- 1. In a power-propelled vehiclehaving a power-actuated brake, a weight-controlled means for automatically shutting off the'mo-' tive power and applying the brake when the weight is removed, the said weight-controlled means being mechanically independent of the power-actuated brake.

form arranged, when weight is applied there-.

to, to close the admission of air to the currentcut-ofi device and open it through the brake-' controller, and, when the weight is removed, to close the admission of air to the brake-controller, open it to the current-cut-ofi device and also to the brake, substantially as set forth. v

4. A controlling mechanism for street-railway cars comprising a cnrrent-cut-olf device, a brake-controller, air-pipes leading through the controller to the brake, an air-pipe leading from one of the said pipes to the current cut-0E device and an auxiliary pipe, a movable platform and valves under the control of the movements of the platform for opening and closing communication to the cut-oif device and to the brake, substantially as set forth.

5. In a controlling device for cars having air-brakes, a brake-controller, pipes leading to and from the controller, a pipe leading from the pipe leading to, the controller, an auxiliary pipe leading to the pipe leading from the controller, a movable platform and valves under the control of the movements of the platform for simultaneously closing communica- ;tion through the brake-controller and opening it through the auxiliary pipe when the platform is moved in one direction and for closingcommunication through the auxiliary pipe and opening it through the brake-controller when the platform is moved in the opposite direction,substantially as setforth. I 6. Acontrollingmechanism for electricallylpropelledcars having air-brakes comprising la current-cut-oif device, an air feed-pipe lead- ;ing thereto, a movable platform and a valve in said pipe under the control of the movements of the platformfor opening and closing communication from the air feed-pipe to the current-cut-oif device, substantially as set forth. I

7. In an electrically-propelled car having an air-brake, a brake-controller, a' currentcut-off device, a pipe leading to the brakecontroller, a pipe leading from the brake-controller, a pipe leading from the first-named pipe to the cut-0E device, an auxiliary pipe IIO leading from the cut-oif-device pipe to the pipe leading from the brake-controller, a valve located in the pipe leading from the brake-controller between the junction of the said pipe,

auxiliary pipe therewith and the pipe leading l myinven tion I have signed my name, in pres to the brake-eontroller, a connection between ence of two Witnesses, this 8th day of J uly, (O

the said valves whereby when one is open the 1899.

other is closed, and a movable platform con- 5 neeted with the last-named valve for opening and closing the valve, substantially as set forth.

JOHN H. ROBERTSON.

Witnesses WILLIAM II. MILLER,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as ROBERT SPROUT. 

